Elaine Poole’s Latin Phrases

Have you ever been part of a conversation when someone casually drops in a Latin phrase and you haven’t got a clue what it means? This has happened to me many times, but thankfully I am now armed with Elaine Poole’s Latin Phrases Crib-sheet.

I now know what people mean when they say “mea culpa” (“it’s my fault”), “alma mater“(“dear mother” – nurturing school or university) and “carpe diem!” (“seize the day”!). So can you if you spend a few minutes reading the translations below.

Thankyou Elaine Poole, you are brill.

Latin word

Translation

Comment

ad hoc

“for this thing”

set up temporarily for a particular purpose e.g. an ad hoc committee

ad infinitum

“to infinity”

as in Latin

agenda (pl.)

“things to be discussed/done”

as in Latin but usually incorrectly used in the singular e.g. an agenda!

alias

“elsewhere”, “sometimes”

another identity

alibi

“at” or “in another place”

proof of not being in the location of a crime/misdemeanour

ante meridiem (a.m.)

“before noon”

in the morning

post meridiem (p.m.)

“after noon”

afternoon

anno domini (A.D.)

“in the year of (our) Lord”

as in Latin

ad nauseam

“to sickness”

to the point of being sick

bis

“two times”

as in Latin (Used in singing instructions.)

ceteris paribus

“with the rest of the things the same/equal”

all other factors held constant

confer (cf.)

“bring together”

compare

c. or circa

“about”

approximately

compos mentis

“having mastery of (one’s) mind”

in full possession of one’s mental faculties

exempli gratia (e.g.)

“by the grace of example”

for example

ego

“I”

sense of importance of self

et cetera (etc.)

“and the rest of the things”

and so on

ex libris

“from the books”

belonging to the book collection of

ex post facto

“from the deed/fact, afterwards”

deduced or discovered after the event with the benefit of hindsight

gratis gratia

“favour” or “kindness”

for no payment

habeas corpus

“may you have the body”

the right to be brought to trial within a reasonable period after arrest and imprisonment

ibidem

“there in the same place”

as in Latin

id

“it” (neuter)

that part of the personality which indulges the “libido”(=sexual urge) and/or behaves impulsively (psychoanalytical terminology)

idem (id.)

“the same thing”

as in Latin

id est (i.e.)

“that is”

that is…

in flagranti delicto

“in the blazing crime”

caught in the act

in loco parentis

“in the place of a parent”

as in Latin

in vitro

“in glass”

in a test tube

ipso facto

“by the very fact”

as in Latin

inter alia

“among other things”

among other things!

memento

“remember!”

a token to remember someone/something by

memorandum (memo)

“something which is to be remembered/mentioned/spoken about”

as in Latin

mens sana in corpore sano

“a healthy mind in a healthy body”

as in Latin

modus operandi

“way/method of operating”

way of working

moratorium

Americanisation of classical Latin ‘mora’ – “delay”

an American politician’s decision to stop or delay doing something

nil nil/nihil

“nothing”

nothing, no score

nota bene (N.B.)

“note well”

as in Latin

omnibus

“with everything”; “for everyone”

a compilation of all the magazines/programmes; a means of transport all can use (“-bus”)

par

“equal”, “the same”

used in golf to suggest a target score for a hole which players attempt to equal; also “below par” meaning not up to the usual standard (of health, achievement)

post mortem

“after death”

examination after death

post partum

“after giving birth”

as in Latin

pro persona (p.p.)

“instead of the person”

as in Latin. Used when a letter is being signed (with authorisation) on behalf of someone else.

primus inter pares

“first among equals”

an old description of the relationship between Prime Minister and Cabinet in the U.K.

pro bono

“for good”

in the public interest or for no money (American lawyers may work part-time “pro bono”.)

quid pro quo

“something given in exchange for something”

as in Latin; a £ sterling (pound) is still called a “quid”.

quod videas (q.v.)

“a thing which you may see…”

as in Latin

referenda

“things which are to be referred/carried back to the people”

votes on a single issue by all or part of the electorate. (Sometimes – ungrammatically – called “referendums”.)

scilicet scirelicet

“it is permitted to know”

to wit, namely, that is to say

sic

“thus”, “in this way”

as in Latin

sine die

“without a day”

without a specific date being set for the resumption of (e.g. court) proceedings

sine qua non

“without which (thing)…not”

a sine qua non is something indispensable

status quo

“the state in which”

the existing/prevailing situation

sub iudice

“under a judge”

the subject of ongoing/incomplete judicial proceedings

subpoena / sub poena

“under punishment”

a demand to comply with a court request e.g. attendance in court, which imposes an automatic penalty if it is not obeyed

tempus fugit

“time runs away”

Time flies!

ter

“three times”

as in Latin

ultra vires

“beyond (his) powers”

as in Latin

viz.

from viet, a contraction of videlicet – “it is permitted to see”: the “et” resembled a “z” in medieval Latin script.